Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Male Pregnancy?

OK. So this isn't new news... But I'm willing to bet there are a BUNCH of people out there who don't read Time Magazine. So here it is. And it's FASCINATING! This is why I became a doctor (for weird shit, of course!).

My last post introduced the concept of extra-uterine pregnancy. So, is male pregnancy possible? Time magazine seems to think so...

Now, my position on this first of all (scroll down if you really must see the picture). As a women's rights activist (mostly), I DON'T think that men should throw down the corporate life and take up the child bearing role. Firstly, as a Doctor, I believe that it is extemely dangerous and you risk the life of not only the fetus, but also of the father.

Implantation has to be in a good place (where the HELL might that be in a man?! - Andy) giving a good supply of blood to the fetus... and at the same time not harming the father. Believe it or not, the liver is NOT a good place (when the placenta detaches, the liver could bleed out... it gets messy!).

There are a LOT of variables that Doctors have to get extremely right to make this safe.

Secondly, I don't know whether I believe that men should have to go through the extremely artificial physiological process required to have a baby. Any man wishing this on himself would have to be pumped with the right hormones to keep the fetus alive. What long lasting effects will this have on his body? How is this going to affect his emotions? God. Can you imagine a man PMS'ing? They can barely handle flu as it is.

Which brings me to my final (emotional - because I can) point. Do men have the nuturing emotional capability to go through pregnancy? I know a lot of girls wouldn't appear to have the traits. Then they get pregnant - and everything changes. I dont' know why, I can't explain it - but I think at least a good portion of it is encoded into our DNA as genetically historic child-bearers!
Can open. Worms everywhere.



Check it out... The world's first male pregnancy from RYT Hospital. Good luck Mr Lee Mingwei!

8 comments:

Lala said...

is it real? is it really real?

Anonymous said...

As a man, i'm in awe of my wife for going through that - and surviving - not once but *twice*. No way would I be strong enough - there is a reason women are tougher than men in many respects :-)

SA Doc said...

It definately seems real. I'll post the official website next post!

Lala said...

HAVE they done it with sheep?? I don't know...probably. What haven't they done with sheep.

Amanzi Down Under said...

NO Way!
Details please!!!!

Anonymous said...

yeah love my husband to exprence a pregnancy especially childbirth.ilove him try to squeze 8pound baby threw his penis with no drugs give like my last birth with my son.ihave given birth 4 times and inlabor with twins

Andy Hadfield said...

that's a LOT of children...

Anonymous said...

if mr lee is pregnant congrats.mr lee has some balls going threw a pregnancy and childbirth.woman have been doing for centruries.iam going threw it alone.the greatest feeling when the baby kicks for the first time its magic.iwish every man could get that feeling.its heaven on earth.mrlee a real man in my eyes take on pregnancy the ups and downs of it.childbirth hurts like hell.guys imange you had to poop out large watermellon from your rectum thats what labor is like.